Sump pump



W. J. EKEY Oct. 25, 1966 SUMP PUMP Original Filed March 23, 1964 United States Patent 3,280,751 SUMP PUMP William J. Ekey, Ashland, Ohio, assignor to The F. E.

Myers & Bro. Co., Ashland, Ohio, a corporation of bio The present application is a division of my co-pend-ing application, Serial No. 353,791, filed March 23, 1964, now US. Patent No. 3,234,881, title: Sump Pump Switch.

This invention relates to electric motor driven pumps, and particularly to sump pumps.

Electric motor driven pumps are known and sump pumps having electric motors directly connected to a pump unit are also known.

The pump-motor arrangement of the present invention is an improvement in sump pumps of the nature referred to leading to a compact, relatively inexpensive structure of the submersible type.

A particular object of the present invention is the provision of an improved sump pump structure.

Another object Otf the present invention is the provision of a submersible sump pump structure that can readily be sealed against the entrance of water into the motor and switch portion of the structure.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an extremely compact sump pump arrangement and a control pressure switch in combination therewith.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a compact sump pump arrangement and a controlling pressure switch directly connected therewith in which the pump is small enough to be readily portable and requires only a power connection and a discharge connection to make it operative.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a novel combination of an electric drive motor and a centrifugal pump unit constructed and arranged for use as a sump pump.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

The figure is a sectional view showing a sump pump unit according to the present invention comprising pumping means with a direct connected electric drive motor and a control pressure switch carried by the motor.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, the arrangement illustrated in the figure consists of a sump pump arrangement having pumping means, drive motor and control switch, all interconnected to form a single integrated assembly. The pumping means comprises a frame extending over the face of a rotary impeller 12. Impeller 12 may be molded of plastic, for example, as shown, but could be metal if so desired. Frame 10, similarly, is preferably cast metal, but could be of a high strength plastic material if so desired. It will be noted that the open side or face of impeller 12 of the figure is on the top of frame 10 that extends over the top or open side of impeller 12. Frame 10 includes inlet passage means 14 leading to the side of the impeller for supplying fluid thereto while the periphery of the impeller that is surrounded by a dependent flange 16 of frame 10 and through which flange 16- at least one discharge passage 18 is formed leading to a discharge port 20 formed in the upper side of frame 10. Port 20 is adapted for receiving a discharge conduit 22 to convey the pumped fluid away from the sump pump unit.

It will be noted that [frame 10 is advantageously open on the bottom for ease of manufacture and this lower open side of the frame is closed by a flat plate 24 held in place by cap screws 26.

Frame 10 has, in coaxial spaced relation to impeller 12 a cylindrical portion 28, the inside of which receives hub 30 of an electric motor generally designated 32 and which includes a rotor 34 having a shaft 36 journalled Ion antifriction bearing 38 in the frame 11 of the electric motor and extending downwardly from the electric motor and connected in supporting driving arrangement to impeller 12 by threads 40 on the extreme lower end of the shaft.

A set screw 42 in cylindrical portion 2-8 of frame 10 engages hub 30 of frame 11 and fixes the frame 11 of the motor to frame 10 of the pumping means.

The motor casing is of the sealed type so that it can be immersed in water and to complete the sealing of the inside of the motor, there is a rotary seal 44 of a known type surrounding shaft 36 and engaging the hub of impeller 12 at the lower end of the seal and the hub 30 of the motor frame 11 at the upper end of the frame. By the provision of this seal the inside of the motor is completely isolated from water in which the pump unit may be placed. The water, however, will cool the motor by conduction. A handle member 46 carried by the top of the motor can be availed of for carrying the pump unit from place to place. Theupper end of frame 11 has an imperforate cover 13 sealed thereto by seal ring 15 and held in place by screws 17 which also secure handle 46 in place.

The aforementioned passage means 14 in frame 10 leading to the center of impeller 12 is relatively open, and

to protect the pump from debris and the like which might be carried by the water being pumped, a screen member 48 is provided. The screen at its center engages the outside of cylindrical portion 28 0t frame 10 and is retained thereon by set screw 50. The outer periphery of screen member 48 which engages frame 10 outwardly from inlet passage means 14 so that all water passing into the pump must pass through the apertures 52 of the screen and, thereby, foreign matter of a size that would damage the pump or interfere with the operation thereof is prevented from entering the pump.

The structure includes a control means for the electric motor. This control means takes the form of a pressure switch 60 connected in circuit with a relay 62 and the windings 63 of the electric motor and wit-h the incoming electric power cable 64.

Closing of the switch will cause the motor to be energized while opening of the switch will bring about deenergization of the motor. Switch 60 and relay 62 are mounted in an inverted cup-like imperforate housing 66 carried on the frame of the electric motor by a nipple 68 which is either sealed to the housing and to the motor frame, or which may be surrounded by a sealing sleeve 70 extending from the housing 66 to the motor frame.

The switch housing 66 sealing receives power cable 64 at the top through the seal arrangement 72 while at the bottom the housing has a shouldered opening in which pressure switch 60 is clamped by clamp ring 74. Clamp ring 74, in turn, is clamped into the open lower end of the housing by a clamp ring 76 held in place by cap screws 78. Seal ring 80 effects a seal between the clamp rings 74 and 76 and the housing 66.

Clamp ring 76 also clamps rim 81 of a resilient auxili ary diaphragm 80 over the open lower end of the housing and in sealed engagement with ring 74. Diaphragm 80 has a central post 82 on the upper side thereof that extends to and engages the center of flexible diaphragm '84 forming a part of the pressure switch 60. Sea-l ring 83, separate from and part of diaphragm 80 sea-ls ring 76 to the open end of housing 66.

Pressure switch 60 is a more or less conventional pres sure operated electric switch of the type employed in the control of the water level in washing machines and has a housing or frame part 86 in which the switch mechanism proper is mounted and within which the actuating diaphragm 84 is also mounted.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a flexible vent tube 94, nylon, for example, leading through cable 64 which will permit air to leave and enter the motor as the motor changes in temperature. In use, the plug of the cable is always plugged in with the end 95 of tube 94 pointing horizontally or downwardly so the tube will not become stopped up.

A feature of the present invention is illustrated in the drawing where it will be noted that the stator 35 of the motor, which consists of a stack of laminations secured together by rivets 37, is dropped loosely into a recess 39 in the main motor housing part 41. The stator is then held in position by dependent skirt portion 43 of end member 45 which telescopically enters the upper end of recess 39.

Clamp screws 47 hold the end member on the motor housing and likewise clamp handle 46 in place.

Resilient sealing ring 49 seals between the motor housing 41 and end member 45 and will permit some considerable variation in relative position of these members to accommodate for variations in the axial length of the stator.

Dependent skirt portion 43 engages the upper surface of the stator and is notched as at 51 to pnovide clearance for the upper ends ofrivets 37. These notches prevent the stator from rotating in the counterbore. Skirt 43 may be continuous except for notches 51 and of which there are usually four or skirt 43, may, at its lower end comprise spaced notched legs engaging a stator only in the region of the ends of rive-ts 37.

The described arrangement is relatively simple and inexpensive'and permits the motor housing and the stator iron to be formed in a simple manner while still permitting effective sealing of the motor housing when it is assembled.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sump pump; an upwardly facing impeller, a frame extending over the face of the impeller and having inlet passage means on top leading to the center of the impeller and also having a central cylindrical portion on the top coaxial with and spaced from the impeller, a drive motor having a downwardly extending output shaft on which the impeller is supported and having a hub engaging the inside of said cylindrical portion to support the motor on the frame, a discharge passage in the frame leading from the periphery of the impeller and terminating in an axially directed port on the motor side of the frame, a flat plate secured to the bottom of the frame and enclosing the back of the impeller, said frame having a first recess extending inwardly from the bottom in which said impeller is disposed, a second recess extending inwardly from the bottom of the frame spaced radially outwardly from said first recess, said port opening into said second recess, a groove formed into the bottom of the frame and connecting said recesses, said groove and second recess forming said discharge passage, said flat plate enclosing said recesses and groove, an electric drive motor having an output shaft on which said impeller is mounted, said motor having a housing with a hub surrounding said drive shaft, and said frame telescopically engaging said hub and being fixed thereto.

2. A sump pump according to claim 1 in which said motor housing is open at the end opposite said hub, a counterbore extending into the open end of said motor housing, said motor comprising a stator loosely mounted in said counterbore, an end member for motor housing non-rotatively secured to the open end of said motor housing and having a skirt portion extending telescopically into said counterbore and clampingly engaging the end of said stator to hold the stator a predetermined axial position in the motor housing and to prevent rotation of the stator in the said housing, and resilient means sealingly disposed between the end of said housing and said end member.

3. The combination according to claim 2 in which said stator has clamping rivet means extending axially therethrough, said rivet means having head means at the upper end of the stator, said skirt portion including notch means to receive said head means so as positively to prevent rotation of the stator in said counterbore.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,603,674 7/1952 Koch 310-258 2,862,452 12/ 1958 Lung 103--87 2,875,697 3/1959 Fernstrum 1031O3 2,922,002 l/ 1960 Gilman.

2,939,399 6/1960 Rutsohi 10387 3,176,174 3/1965 Bolyard 3l0-93 ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SUMP PUMP; AN UPWARDLY FACING IMPELLER, A FRAME EXTENDING OVER THE FACE OF THE IMPELLER AND HAVING INLET PASSAGE MEANS ON TOP LEADING TO THE CENTER OF THE IMPELLER AND ALSO HAVING A CENTRAL CYLINDRICAL PORTION ON THE TOP COAXIAL WITH AND SPACED FROM THE IMPELLER, A DRIVE MOTOR HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING OUTPUT SHAFT ON WHICH THE IMPELLER IS SUPPORTED AND HAVING A HUB ENGAGING THE INSIDE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION TO SUPPORT THE MOTOR ON THE FRAME, A DISCHARGE PASSAGE IN THE FRAME LEADING FROM THE PERIPHERY OF THE IMPELLER AND TERMINATING IN AN AXIALLY DIRECTED PORT ON THE MOTOR SIDE OF THE FRAME, A FLAT PLATE SECURED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME AND ENCLOSING THE BACK OF THE IMPELLER, SAID FRAME HAVING A FIRST RECESS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM IN WHICH SAID IMPELLER IS DISPOSED, A SECOND RECESS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME SPACED RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST RECESS, SAID PORT OPENING INTO SAID SECOND RECESS, A GROOVE FORMED INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME AND CONNECTING SAID RECESSES, SAID GROOVE AND SECOND RECESS FORMING SAID DISCHARGE PASSAGE, SAID FLAT PLATE ENCLOSING SAID RECESSES AND GROOVE, AN ELECTRIC DRIVE MOTOR HAVING AN OUTPUT SHAFT ON WHICH SAID IMPELLER IS MOUNTED, SAID MOTOR HAVING A HOUSING WITH A HUB SURROUNDING SAID DRIVE SHAFT, AND SAID FRAME TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGING SAID HUB AND BEING FIXED THERETO. 